1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally appertains to new and novel improvements in means for verifying the signature of a person signing a check, credit card or the like and especially relates to a new and novel signature identification system for Travelers Checks.
2. State of the Prior Art
The present invention has for its primary object the provision of a simple and inexpensive, yet most effective, system for curtailing the forgery and unathorized cashing of Travelers Checks and other negotiable instruments which bear an original or initial signature that is used for comparison purposes with the final signature to determine if the signor is the person who is legally entitled to sign the checks or other instruments.
Relating the invention especially to Travelers Checks, but bearing in mind that such is only one environmental usage of the present invention, it is known that, at the time of purchase, Travelers Checks are signed, usually at a space on the upper left corner portion of the face of the checks by the purchaser. At the time of presentment for cashing the checks, the person that signs on a line located around the lower left corner portion of the face of the check. The acceptor or payor of the check can then mach such presentment signature with the initial signature placed on the face of the check at the time of purchase.
However, if such Travelers Checks become lost or stolen and a wrong party attempts to cash the checks, it can be appreciated that because the orignal signature is exposed on the face of the check, a fairly competent forger could copy such signature and, as a result, cash the checks.
There have been numerous approaches in the patented art to the problem of preventing the unauthorized cashing of checks and the like. However, none come close to the simple but most effective means provided by the present invention.
For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,455,576, the check bears a certain marking and the payee possesses a label having a matching marking. Thus, only the person in possession of such label can cash the check.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,227,473, the check has a concealed identification means that must be matched by the payee or person endorsing the check.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,508,344, an opaque covering sheet overlies a base sheet with visible information thereon. Wetting of the covering sheet will cause it to become transpicuous and the information on the base sheet will then be visible.
While the foregoing show that considerable efforts have been expended in an attempt to solve the problem of unauthorized cashing of checks and the like, such are involved arrangements which make the checks of a complex nature and add considerably to the cost thereof.
In accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention, having regard to Travelers Checks, the purchaser of the checks signs the same in the usual fashion and such checks are of the conventional type with no charge being made in the physical structure or appearance thereof.
It is a primary object of the present invention to provide a label arrangement that is affixed by the seller of the checks, such as a bank teller, after the checks have been signed in the usual place by the purchaser. Such comparison signature is then covered over by an opaque label that hides the signature. When it is time to cash the checks, the person signs in the usual place after which the payor will peel off the label to expose the initial signature. If the signatures match, then the checks are cashed. On the other hand, if the signature is a forgery, it is impossible for the signatures to match and there would be no way by which the forger could use the initial signature as a guide. And, of course, the checks would not be honored, if the labels had been removed or tampered with.
Thus, another object of the present invention is to provide a sealed, invisible comparison signature on a check or other negotiable instrument which signature can only be properly exposed by the party honoring the check or instrument.
Another important object of the present invention is to provide an inexpensive, simple and most effective means for preventing the unauthorized cashing of checks or other negotiable instruments without unduly adding to or complicating the structure or appearance of such checks or instruments.